


Oxford Comma

by ShellyNelsonLahey



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, First Meet, Jeronica, Vughead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:08:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28673484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShellyNelsonLahey/pseuds/ShellyNelsonLahey
Summary: You know that feeling when you lock eyes with somebody from across the room and everything around you just slows down and all you can see is this beautiful person in front of you, lighting up your entire world? Well, Jughead Jones never understood it in writing until he felt it for himself when he met Veronica Lodge for the first time.
Relationships: Jughead Jones & Veronica Lodge, Jughead Jones/Veronica Lodge, jughead jones x veronica lodge
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43
Collections: Two Drifters





	Oxford Comma

**Author's Note:**

  * For [butterccup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterccup/gifts).



> So for Jeronica Secret Santa, the person who got me created this playlist along with a little story and it was too perfect to not turn into a fic (with permission!)
> 
> Song is Oxford comma by Vampire Weekend; "Locking eyes for the first time… Wow. Just—everything is in slow motion.  
> “
> 
> If you want to read their post check out https://oldschoolkiddo.tumblr.com/post/638372893446799360/two-drifters-33-jeronica-secret-santa

Jughead Jones slipped a quarter into the jukebox machine and smiled gently to himself. Normally, he was an introverted kid who’d rather quite literally die than anyone in this small town of Riverdale, Rhode Island, see him being his normal, outcast-y self and dancing along to a song that no one other than him seemed to know. However, there was something about being at Pop’s—his safe space—and nobody even glanced his way when he stood in front of the jukebox. He figured he could get out of his safe zone. Just for one song—one of his favorites: Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend.

He shuffled back to his booth in the corner, a couple of tables away from the jukebox, nodding his head and tapping his feet to the beat. He even allowed himself to sing along softly.

“ _Why would you speak to me that way? Especially when I always said that I haven't got the words for you_.”

The bell above the entrance rang, and Jughead’s seafoam eyes flickered up to observe whoever had walked into Pop’s. He couldn’t see the girl’s face, but her hair was dark and shiny, straight, like the essence of the neverending void of space was spilled perfectly on the top of her head. She removed the hood of her cape, and stepped towards Pop Tate.

Her voice sounded of high class, “order for Lodge?”

Pop smiled, raising his hand to let her know he acknowledged her presence. “It’s almost ready.” Jughead watched as he opened his mouth to speak again, but closed it instead and began to bustle about behind the counter. The girl had noticed his odd reaction, nodding slowly as if she were trying to understand.

“Who put on this song?” she called to Pop inquisitively, leaning against the counter.

Jughead knew nobody was paying attention to him. Nobody ever did. So, he wasn’t worried about Pop being able to identify him and therefore bring her attention to him, who sat alone with his laptop very clearly eavesdropping on their conversation. At least, he wasn’t worried until Pop pointed towards Jughead’s table and smiled, “Jughead, he’s an everyday regular. Practically lives in this establishment. He’s one of the few who actually use the jukebox.”

Jughead froze, horrified as she swung her head in his direction. Her hair flew past her shoulders, and after being a bit mesmerized by that, he then met her chocolate-y brown eyes and it seemed like everything around him began to slow down. The conversations around him that he had previously blocked out like usual were slowed and deep, like an audio before you try to keep the pitch, and the jukebox’s song was the same. The girl moved faster than everybody else, but not by much. Jughead, however? His pounding heart was probably the fastest thing in this entire town.

She said something to him, but all he could hear was the same slow, deep speech that he couldn’t make out. Before he could even comprehend anything, she was joining him at his table with a bright, red-lipped smile, and time had conveniently gone back to normal. He blinked a couple of times, trying to comprehend what had just happened. “Uh… i’m sorry, what?”

She laughed lightly and nodded towards the jukebox. “Oxford Comma, huh? I guess there is someone in this In Cold Blood-like town with taste.”

This girl liked his choice in music and books? _And_ she was absolutely beautiful? It seemed almost too good to be true. Maybe this was all a dream, and he was asleep in his trailer. “You won’t find anyone else like me. As Pop said, my name is Jughead. Jughead Jones.”

“Never heard a name like yours. It’s weird… but I like it.” She smirked, like this was their own inside joke. “Sucks, though, you’ll never find your name on any of those keychains. Veronica is on every single one—though there was one time where I found it spelled like ‘V-e-r-o-n-i-k-a’ and I was absolutely taken aback.”

 _Veronica_. It fit her very well; he didn’t have any preconceived names but now that he had heard it, he couldn’t think of any other names that would do her justice.

Even with time speeding back up to normal, it still felt… surreal. Like he wasn’t aware of something around him, and that maybe this was all fake. But there was no way he could make up Veronica—his mind could never capture beauty that perfectly, not unless he had seen her before which he knew he hadn’t because… well… this was Riverdale. A girl that stunning wouldn’t be forgotten.

Veronica gently sang, “ _check your passport, it's no trick. Take the Chapstick, put it on your lips. Crack a smile, adjust my tie. Know your butler, unlike other guys_.” Her singing voice was just as captivating as her normal voice, and Jughead hoped she continued. But the way she looked at him, it seemed she wanted him to join in.

So, he did. “ _Why would you lie about how much coal you have? Why would you lie about something dumb like that? Why would you lie about anything at all? First the window, then it's through the wall_.”

Together, they finished the lyrics. “ _Why would you tape my conversations? Show your paintings at the United Nations. Little John, he always tells the truth._ ” And then they slipped into a comfortable silence, bobbing their heads to the beats before the end of the song

Veronica giggled, a genuine, happy smile stretching her lips. It was almost rare to see smiles like that here in Riverdale, where people had dark secrets and lied through their teeth. And seeing her so bright and bubbly in this dark town, he couldn’t not grin back at her. “You know, you’re pretty cute.”

Jughead scoffed, shaking his head. No one ever paid attention to him in this town, especially a girl as pretty as Veronica. “No…” He hung his head, hoping to hide the blush burning his cheeks. The last thing he’d want to do was to embarrass himself in front of her, and then watch her avoid him like everybody else.

“You are!” she playfully reached across the table to slap at his hand. “Has no one ever told you that before?”

“I’m sitting alone in a booth… with my laptop… on a Sunday.”

She huffed, “okay, well, you are. You’re very cute.”

Before Jughead could respond to her, Pop Tate crept up with an apologetic smile and a white Pop’s to-go bag and a drink holder with two chocolate shakes, which he slid onto the table. “Miss Lodge, your food.”

“Oh!” She perked up, as if she had forgotten why she was here. “Thank you so much. My mother was craving your burgers, and is extremely excited for me to try them for the first time.”

“Hermione Lodge, right? Tell your mother I said hi, and that I gave you a couple of free cookies as a welcome back!” Pop nodded at her in goodbye, and left to return to work.

With that, Veronica turned back to Jughead with a straight smile. “My mom is waiting on me… but if you go to Riverdale High, i’ll see you tomorrow for the first day of school?”

“You’ll probably miss me in the crowd, but, sure, i’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Jughead.”

“Bye… Veronica…” he whispered back after the bell had rung and the door closed behind her. It still seemed like a dream, that a girl as beautiful as Veronica was paying attention to him, let alone calling him cute. To try and sidetrack his mind from the raven haired beauty, he brought his laptop closer and started to type once more, though it was hard considering she was all his mind wanted to think and write about. If meeting her made him feel like this, imagine her being one of the few people to not ignore the outcast he is like the plague. That was surely a lovely idea, but what were the chances that she’d stay interested in him, especially once she sees Jughead’s pal Archie Andrews?


End file.
